In the four descriptions, we idenitified a number of different "moves" the writers made to get the reader to read through the literal description as a way to evoke a feeling, idea or sense of "the way things are" in the story. In the Joyce excerpt from "The Dead," we noticed the repeated military references, so that the description of the food on the table also became suggestive of two armies staged for a battle. The extended references to food and objects in terms of military descriptions, whether the reader picked up on it consciously or not, evoked a sense of impending confrontation.
In the excerpt from "Prue" by Monroe, we noted the language construction of "denial" - all the insistence of what the act "was not" => as if the main character's rebellion and resistance were built into the grammatical structures of the description. We also noticed the use of symbolic objects (of addiction), the candy and the tobacco, and the significance of the action portrayed (possession without consent).
In Ozick's "Existing Things," we noted the incongruence of the poetic/symbollic language/metaphors associated with the description of the mica ("hypnotic semaphores signaling eeriness out of the ground") and the heat, and the light, as compared with the more straight-forward descriptive language for other objects. We also noticed the empty street, the absence of adults - the aloneness of the narrator in the presence of her realization - so that the physical correlate of the realization paralleled the sense of being "in your head with a big realization".
Finally, Dybek's "Thread," the story about his loss of faith, as in the other stories, also seemed to make the objects take on double signification = both with their literal meanings and with symbolic meanings. The acts of unraveling the gold sash, weighing the thread, laying among the lines on his palm, tasting it for "gold" were all suggestive of parallel meanings in terms testing/reflecting on beliefs.
You then wrote some descriptions - and they were wonderful. You were all working with the ideas/writerly moves from our past couple of weeks, and I am looking forward to see how these in-class writing exercises are morphing your writing!
Rhetorical analysis of writing venues. We talked through the assignment sheet for the analysis of a writing venue assignment - and you didn't seem to have many questions so I am guessing you have a good first approximation of what is expected. We spent the last part of class clicking through the essays in the last issue of Brevity and classifying them in terms of the features listed on the assignment sheet. We looked for patterns in the publication's preferences for subject material, form, "mindsets" or value systems that shape the "take" or message embedded in the material, genre (really sub-genres of CNF), and so on.
If you scroll down, to the right, this page has a link list of journals which publish CNF. There is a wide range of venues here. Check through them and see if there is one that matches your writing/interests.
Analysis of Brevity. We clicked on the submissions link to get an idea of the reading period, editorial description of "what they want", and manuscript requirements. We then read through a set of essays in the most recent edition. Our discussion suggested that Brevity's audience was interested short CNF that is experimental, is centered on an abstract or metaphoric meaning (rather than focused on a "good story" per se"->literary), and concerned with human relizations (rather than about nature or politics= more focused on the way people relate to one another & the world). Of course we had a small sample - and if you scan a larger set of essays this provile might look different. The texts were literary in that they mostly complied with the definitions by Lott & Gutkind in terms of their earnestness/seriousness in terms of subject matter, were reflective and presented a "realization" (circling around a question/contemplation/representation), and took on innovative/fresh approaches to form.
Good class!
What we will do next class
Class will start with some in-class work on the publication venue project. You will choose your venues and we will workshop any questions/uncertainties about how to finish the project.
The second half of class will be a presentation on the final portfolio (described on the syllabus). A Sample Portfolio is available at this link (also listed under "Links" on the right panel of this blog). We will also spend some time talking about craft essays (listed below). You already read "Teacher Training" - "Composing 'Teacher Traning'" is a narrative account of Pope's composing process. These composing narratives are a standard genre within writing studies, and as you read through the CNF journals, you will notice that there is also a market for composing narratives.
For next week:
Choose 2 or 3 publication venuse that would work for you. (If you scroll down, to the right, this page has a link list of journals which publish CNF).
Read: Zion, 402+ On writing Zion, 410 by Stanton, Pope, Teacher training, 388, Composing 'Teacher training'" 394.
Blog 9: Short essay 2
Blog 9: Short essay 2
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